Wall and panel construction



Aug, 23, Ti9%@. R0, DE WAGON WALL AND PANEL cous'rauc'rxow 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Feb. 6, 1946 Aug 23, 39% P. 0. DE RAGQN WALL ANDPANEL CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1946 N 0 A R E D Q PWALL AND PANEL con'swnuc'rxou 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb; 6, 1946 9%!(QeQQgoW elf/tom Kraft; K). F os .23, E949 P. 0. DE WAGON WALL AND PANELCONSTRUCTION 4 Shelats-$heet 4 Filed Feb. 6, 1946 Patented Aug. 23, 19492,479,819 WALL AND PANEL CONSTRUCTION Paul 0. De Ragon, Midway Park,Camp Lejeune, N. 0.

Application February s, 1946, Serial No. 645,852

6 Claims. (01. 2o-2) This invention relates to wall and panelconstruction and more particularly to prefabricated panels which may bereadily assembled into walls.

Prior to the instant invention, it has been conventional to build wallsof two by four studding' covered with sheathing on the outside with orwithout additional exterior facing and covered with lathe on the insidewhich in turn is covered with plaster which in turn is then decoratedsuch as with paint or wall paper.

It is an object of the instant invention to teach a novel wallconstruction requiring little or no surface treatment and a minimum offraming.

It is another object of the instant invention to teach a method oferecting a strong wall which will require little or no surfacetreatment.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant inventionwill beapparent from the following description taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a panel in accordance with theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of wall construction in accordancewith the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a modified form of panel;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a panel adapted to beconnected with the panel shown in Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a panel element;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a panel joint;

Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of a modified panel;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of a panel element of the panel ofFigure 7;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figure 6 of a modified form of panel joint;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a panel joint connectorelement;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a wall installation incorporatedin house construction showing the floor framing and roof framing inconnection therewith;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the second floor framing;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Figs. 11 and 12 showing the panelconstruction installed above a concrete foundation wall;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the foundation wallshown in Figure 13;

Fig. 15 is a view in perspective with parts shown in section of a windowinstalled in a panel in accordance with the invention;

2 Fig. 16 is a view in perspective showing a door installed in a panelin accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a window installed in apanel.

Referring to Figure 1, the prefabricated panel 30 comprises a pair ofrectangular structural sheets 3| which have been bowed about a verticalaxis with the concave faces thereof facing each other and fastened atthe top and bottom to a shaped top filler piece 32 and a bottom fillerpiece 33. The sheets 3| may be of plywood, asbestos board,plastic-composition, or metal and the filler pieces 32 and 33 may be ofwood. The sheets 3| may be secured to the pieces 32 and 33 by the screws34. When sheets of 4 by 8 size are used, the prefabricated.panel thusformed will be 8' high and somewhat less than 4' wide. An angle clip 35may be secured to the bottom of the bottom piece 33 by one leg thereofleaving the other leg free to be secured to the base plate of the wallusually associated with the' top of a foundation wall.

In Figure 2, the studs 36 may have channel sides so that the shape ofthe studs in horizontal section correspond to the letter I. The studs 36at their bases may have small angle irons 31 secured to the webs 38thereof by one leg and the other leg is adapted to be secured to thebase on which the studs are erected. The studs are erected on spacedcenters of the dimension corresponding to the width of the prefabricatedpanels 30 so that after the studs 36 are erected, the prefabricatedpanels 30 may be lowered therebetween from above with the flanges 39 ofthe studs 36 covering the vertical margins of the prefabricated anel andthe sides of the prefabricated panel fitting into the channel sides ofthe studs. At the comers of the wall to be erected, two studs may bearranged with their webs at right angles to each other and with thecorners of the inside adjacent flanges 39 touching each other. Theoutside flanges 39 may be covered with two vertical cover plates 40.

The prefabricated panel may also be fabricated with half-studsincorporated into the panel construction as shown in Figures 3 and 4wherein the flexed sheets 4| and 42 are secured at their tops andbottoms to the flanges 43 of the top and bottom pieces 44 by the screws45. The sides of the panel are adapted to be engaged by the metalchannel half-studs 46 and 41. The half-studs 46 are adapted to havepushed out male locking which cooperate with the male operating members48 when the wall is assembled as shown in horizontal section in Fig. 6wherein the halfstuds 46 and 41 are provided at their bottoms withflanges 50 which are adapted to be secured to the base upon which thewall is to be erected. A vertical cover plate 51 may cover the jointbetween the two half-studs 46 and 41 on the outside of the wall whichcover plate may be held in place by the screw 52 which may have its head53 bearing on the inside flange 54 of the half-studs 46 and the insideflange 55 of the half-stud 41.

Referring to Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the prefabricated panel 56 maycomprise two flexed sheets 51 secured to the top piece 58 and the bottompiece 59 which bottom piece may have an angle iron 60 secured to thebottom thereof which incorporates a vertical depending leg adapted to besecured to the base upon which the wall is to be mounted. The studs maybe of the type known as Stran-steel. Each of the two parts 6| I of theStran-steel stud comprises a web 62 which has a curved portion 63 and apair of flanges 64 are adapted to engage the sides of the panel. Theinner flanges 64 are bent at right angles inwardly in the plane of thebottom of the web 62 to form the small flanges 65 which are adapted tobe secured to the base on which the wall is to be erected. The outerflanges 64 are adapted to extend below the bottom of the web 62 to formbearing surfaces 66 adapted to be secured to the outside vertical planeof the base above which the wall is to be erected. In the joint assemblyas shown in Fig. 9,- the vertical cover plates 61 are nailed to theStran-steel studs 6| by the nails 66, the ends of which pass betweencurved portions 63 of the webs 62 so as to lock the nails to the studassembly.

In Figure II, the prefabricated panel 56 is in position on a base 69 andthe angle iron 66 is secured to the bottom piece 59 which has a verticaldepending leg secured to the base 69 by the screw I0. Toggle bolts IIsecure the top plate I2 to the top pieces 58 of the panels 56.

Figure 12 shows the prefabricated panels 36 incorporated in a two-storyconstruction.

In Figures 13 and,14, the base I3 on which the prefabricated panels areto beerected is of concrete ancl'the irons I4, which are embedded in theconcrete base I3, are adapted to pass through the bottom pieces I of theprefabricated panels I6. The outer sheets 11 of the prefabricated panelsI6 have their lower edges I8 depending below the bottom of the bottompiece -I5 and are adapted to contact the curved step portions-I9 formedon the outside of the concrete base I3 near the top thereof as shown inFigs. 13, 14 and 15. The straight portions 86 between the curvedportions I9 correspond to the location of the studs 8| which may havetheiroutside portions at the bottom extending downwardly to cover thestraight portions 80 on the concrete base I3.

In Figure 15, a window 82 is set into the panel I6 which window may beof conventional design. In Figure 16, a door frame and door combination83 are set into the prefabricated panel 16 which door and door framecombination may be of conventional design. In Figure 17, theprefabricated wall structure in accordance with the invention is shownin horizontal section erected on a base with one of the panels 16 havinga conventional window 82 set thereinto. The prefabricated panels I6which are to accommodate a window or a door are cut so as to provide aninner and outer sheets of the prefabricated panels may be coated oruncoated and when they are of plywood the natural grain of the wool willserve as decoration. When the panels are assembled, both the outside andinside of the wall require no further decoration nor any furtherprotection against the elements. The wall studs are of such a naturethat they may be readily prefabricated and assembled on the job. TheWall panels may also be completely prefabricated and assembled bysliding them between the studs into place. When the studs areincorporated as half-studs into the panel structure, contiguous panelsmay be readily assembled as already described. Those panels whichcontain windows or doors may be assembled into the wall structure likepanels which have no window or door openings. In connection with thistype of wall construction, conventional floors, foundations, and roofsmay be used. Use of the conventional number of studs is not required inthis type of construction as the prefabri ated panel by virtue of itsshape eliminates the need for so many studs as the panel assumes theload which normally would be assumed in conventional structure by theuse of many more studs.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and thereforethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification but only as indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A prefabricated panel for a wall structure comprising a pair ofstructural sheets of rectangular shape evenly bowed about a verticalaxis with the concave faces of said sheets facing each othersymmetrically about a plane passing vertically therebetween and with thevertical sides of said structural sheets being straight and with thesides of each sheet spaced from the sides of the opposing sheet which itfaces, a top piece fastened to the tops of said structural sheets forsecuring them together and a bottom piece fastened to the bottoms ofsaid structural sheets for securing them together, said top and bottompieces being planular in shape and having vertical sides at the marginswhich contact said sheets which vertical sides have a shapecorresponding to the bow in said sheets.

2. A wall structure comprising a plurality of studs of I-section withthe web of the I arranged across the plane of the wall, a plurality ofpanels in accordance with claim 1 in place between said studs with theside margins of said panels between the flanges and adjacent the webs ofsaid I-section studs.

3; A prefabricated panel in accordance with claim 1, half-studs beingsecured to each of side margins of said panel, one of said half studshaving a male locking member formed thereon, and one of said half -studshaving a female looking member formed thereon.

4. A panel in accordance with claim 1, an

opening through said panel, frame members between the inner and outersheets and about said opening. I

5. A panel in accordance with claim 1 an opening through said panel,frame members between the inner and outer sheets and about said opening,and a window frame mounted in said p ning.

6. A panel in accordance with claim 1, an opening through said panel,frame members between the inner and outer sheets and about said RENCEScrrnn The'foliowing references are of record in the me of this patent:

Number m Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Pelton Aug. 10, 1909Michod Mar. 29, 1927 Blanchard June 17, 1930 Junkers Jan. 31, 1933Junkers Oct. 30, 1934 Leemhuis July 23, 1940 Burner Mar. 11, 1941 HinesJan. 27, 1942 Hain Feb. 16, 1943 Hayes Mar. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTSCountry Date Italy Mar. 17, 1936

